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Completed
You Are the Best!
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 26, 2016
50 of 50 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 4.5
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
Unless you're a super fan of one of these actors, I doubt you'll be able to make it through this show without giving up. Sadly I am a fanatic of Jo Jung Suk and ended up watching the whole thing just so I could cross it off my check list. I think he had less lines than the sister who can't act (but is beautiful). I thought the drama received low ratings due to viewers who compared it to their favorites. That being said, I knew this was just going to be something to watch on the side and didn't have high expectations like I would for dramas that make Hallyu stars so I thought it couldn't let me down. Unfortunately, even the little expectations I had fell short. I knew the drama would be dragged out because of the sheer amount of episodes in it, but this was ridiculous. More than half the characters are two-dimensional with no growth (including Jo Jung Suk and IU), and all of the problems are based of misunderstandings that would be resolved if characters simply opened their mouths. The writers are horrendous and many times make characters unlikeable for all the wrong reasons. They're not the type of characters you love to hate but just hate in general. In fact, Song Mi Ryung, Joon Ho, Jin Wook, Chan Mi, Il Do, and In Sung were the only likeable characters (the last four only because the writers didn't give them many lines). The romance was more of a friendship (which I'm kind of glad of because of the age difference) and the comedy was nonexistent. There were no families and the drama was simply because they weren't smart enough to communicate.

The writing is the major problem in this show. Except for the grandma, the oldest sister, and sometimes Soon Shin, the acting wasn't bad. I was a new fan of Lee Mi Sook and was rooting for Mi Ryung. Yoo In Na is one of the best supports you can have (especially in Secret Garden) and even seemed to be the second lead in this drama. The rest of the side characters were quite believable and lively. On the flip side, I'm a fan of IU in Scarlet Heart Ryeo, but boy did she come a long way from how she acted here. Her acting along with the writing made Soon Shim seem like an immature brat with a corrupt view of justice where double standards between her and Song Mi Ryung were okay. She expected the world to be handed to her because she always played the victim and never thought of how others were affected. This mindset actually seemed to be the case for the majority of the characters in the drama, especially the grandmother. It’s a low blow to attack an old lady, and I’m not sure if the director forced her, but the actress playing the grandmother was over the top and annoying to be honest. I usually love little old ladies and find them cute but there was nothing loveable about the way this one was portrayed. It was not a tsundere type of character but a purely hateful one who had the victim syndrome as well. The mother was unreasonably selfish, Yoo Shin’s mother-in-law was selfish, both Joon Ho’s parents were selfish, the little girl was selfish, Joon Ho’s sister was selfish...etc. It’s a feat in itself to finish a drama with these characters.

I had to take about 10 breaks just for the last two episodes. The ending just genuinely sucked (there's really no other word for it, or need to find another word for it or else I might end up putting in more effort than the writers of the show did). It's not like some dramas where you're dissatisfied with the ending because it doesn't go the way you planned. In fact, some dramas that do that are great dramas. It was because the show was uninteresting and did not even attempt to resolve things with reason. No wonder most of the problems stemmed from misunderstandings. The writers didn't even seem to understand anything.

I know I ranted a lot, but I felt it was necessary from the stress of wasting my time on 50 episodes of this show that causes your blood pressure to go up and makes you eat fried chicken and pastries because of the chicken shop and bakery. I would not watch this again nor recommend this show to anyone.

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Completed
Fashion King
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 26, 2016
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 2.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
If it wasn't for the lead actors, this drama would get a 3 or below easily. If you've watched High Kick Through the Roof till the end, you'd understand what to expect with a drama from Shin Se Kyung who decided on the ending of that drama. That's not why this drama would get a score of 3 or below. The drama started off slowly and was suspenseful for about 4 episodes, then the pattern of unbelievable repetition set in. It was actually quite surprising in this manner just because just when you'd think that the plot was repeated too many times, they repeated it again.

Fortunately, when a story is written this way, you begin to see the true abilities of an actor and the range of their acting skills in being able to portray the same emotions in different ways. I believed Yoo Ah In was a great actor after seeing him in Sungkyunkwan Scandal in comparison to his real personality which I found to be completely different. In fact, he's the reason I watched this. He's not a bad actor, but after watching this, I found his facial expressions to be somewhat loud and over the top in comparison to Lee Jae Hoon's which gave a stronger impact without being too showy. This suited his character but made it unlikeable as well. Jung Jae Hyuk had one of the worst cases of second lead syndrome I've seen to date. His acting skills pushed him up to one of my top favorite actors ('top' because I have many favorites). As for the two girls, Shin Se Kyung was the same as she was in High Kick Through the Roof and Yu Ri was there. Yu Chae Young and Jang Mi Hee were excellent side actors.

Though some people were disappointed by the ending. I was okay with it (neither impressed nor disappointed). I did not need to know more. I was satisfied knowing it was the end and the the same thing would not repeat again. It took me a little longer to watch but I don't regret it nor think that I will watch it again.

The actors did better than I think most could with what was given to them. I enjoyed the nice scenery in many of the shots. I don't plan on recommending this show to others.

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Completed
The Girl Who Sees Scents
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 26, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
Nam Gung Min. You will learn this actor's name by the end of the drama if you don't already know it. This drama was entertaining but 90% of this was due to Nam Gung Min and his incredible acting skills that made Kwon Jae Hee come to life. When he's on screen you can't take your eyes off him, and when he's off screen you're left wondering when you'll see him again. He's one of the types of villains that you love (not love-to-hate because I can't even remember a moment where I disliked him) and sometimes he's so darn cute acting-wise and looks-wise that you can't tell whether it's a good or bad thing to get kidnapped by him. Many times in the drama I thought people were trying to get kidnapped by him just for this reason. Trust me. I thought I was going crazy, but reading the comments of other people, I came to realize that I was not alone.

As a side note, I'll mention the other actors as well in case you're curious. An honorable mention should go out to Park Jin Joo for being an amazing side actress. Although I was never really bothered by it, many people have commented on Shin Se Kyung's emotionless face when she acts. Compared to her roles in HIgh Kick Through the Roof and Fashion King, Shin Se Kyung has improved quite a bit on this, and somewhat on her laugh. I've seen Yoo Chun in Sungkyunkwan and Rooftop Prince as a lead role but neither really like or detest him. He seems to always just be there but never gives a memorable performance, though I liked him some in variety shows. Unfortunately his comedy in this one sort of annoyed me and both the writing for his character and his acting when carrying the script out made me side with Kwon Jae Hee and dislike him even more. The romance in this drama was something like that of a side-couple in another drama. It's there, you watch it, but you're really waiting for the main character to get back on screen (Kwon Jae Hee). Another reason many seem to side with Kwon Jae Hee is that the writers made the detectives seem stupid. Many times they would just stand around and wait for someone who wasn't even a detective to do all the work while someone was dying. Yeom Mi was the only semi-intelligible one.

That being said, since I gave this drama a high rating, you can see how much Nam Gung Min carried the drama. I didn't plan to watch the whole thing in a couple of days because I thought it would be a weird drama from the title but this is one of the few dramas that you end up marathoning. Yes, some parts with Oh Cho Rim and Choi Moo Guk like the theatrical parts are odd, but the villain makes this drama well worth the watch.

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Completed
Oh My Ghost
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 22, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
Oh My Ghostess, as the title implies, adds a supernatural twist that gives an extra boost of excitement to the romance. Although this drama doesn't get interesting until about four episodes in, the story quickly progresses with well-developed characters and unexpected changes in the plot. Although I have my own bias of who should end up together, there's clearly chemistry between the actors that makes you feel that they belong together. Not only does chemistry exist romance-wise, but between all character interactions, including minor characters, giving a natural feel to their relationships instead of forced ones that are just added to progress the story.

The director indeed has an eye for talent. Despite being afraid to watch this drama at first because of my preconceived notions that Jo Jung Suk appeared too old for Park Bo Young and had, to be honest, a scary face, in my opinion- though many would disagree (including myself) after watching this- I have become a new fan of him as well as the other three leads. Park Bo Young is a second reason that I did not want to watch this originally because the editing on the Running Man episode that I watched where she was a guest gave me a rather negative view of her. Unlike my previous opinion, this show opened me up to her through her diverse and entertaining acting skills showing me that she was far from the one-dimensional person I once saw her as. I have seen Im Joo Hwan on variety shows before but was never aware of his powerful acting skills that sent chills down my spine at times. Indeed, the writers did a good job of giving the villain a strong presence that makes you curl up in awe. Lastly, Kim Seul Gi is a name and face that I was not even familiar with before watching this. She reminded me of Gong Hyo Jin at times with a more upbeat personality and a cuteness comparable to Yoon Eun Hye. I will be sure to look out for her in the future and can't wait to see her future works.

Though the actors and writers were entertaining for the two days that it took me to finish this drama, I was quite disappointed in the last two episodes, especially the last. For being such an entertaining show, I expected more out of the ending. My opinion of the show dropped drastically when they added what I thought was a typical, predictable, anticlimactic ending that I've seen many times and one of the ones I hate at that. This is the main reason I deducted points from my score because I don't mind slow beginnings and this show had chemistry that was equal to that found in Master's Sun and suspense equal to that in highly raved-about dramas like You Who Came from the Stars or Healer. Because of this, they led my expectations for the ending to be quite high, and a typical ending just falls too short to make my score any higher.

The cast selection and directing was indeed what made this drama what it is. I was surprised at how well even the minor characters were able to portray the ghost, making it believable to me that the ghost was actually taking over their bodies. I found the ghost and Bong Sun or Jo Jung Suk to be my favorites. Definitely worth the time to watch, but don't expect to be wowed by the ending.

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Completed
My Girl
2 people found this review helpful
May 13, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 2.5
My Girl probably was more innovative during its time. Watching it nine years after it aired, I can see how humor has changed over time (though a few things here and there made me smile). What I might have considered funny back then seems over the top now and even unbearable to watch at times (especially the relationship between the aunt and the yard man). I'm assuming that because this is an older drama and one that has such great reviews, that this was one of the first dramas with this type of plot - and they did pull it off well. However, I think that because I watched this after watching so many Kdramas, nothing seemed new. Not only have I seen similar parts of this drama in other dramas, but the drama itself became repetitive; the same conflicts and solutions would be used over and over, dragging the story out over what seemed to be a good portion of the show. Like the other two Hong Sister dramas I've watched, the show pulls the audience back with a pretty good ending.

Lee Joon Ki and Lee Dae Hee were the ones who stood out to me in this drama. I feel like Joon Ki had more charm than the male lead, and I can somewhat see from his side role why he's so popular even though I think his popularity stemmed from The King and the Clown which I plan to see now. Lee Dae Hee has a very endearing personality that makes your want to see more despite the predictability of the show and outdated humor. I know that Lee Dong Wook became a Hallyu star after this, but I didn't seem to grasp the charm he had in this drama. I feel like many times, especially during the "what if" scenes where he looked like a creep/pervert and the times where he struggled/cried and looked like a helpless adolescent, were a turn off for me.

The music wasn't my taste and one song eerily reminded me of Phantom of the Opera. I don't think I'll be watching this show again.

I would recommend this show perhaps if you're a new or first time Kdrama watcher. However, if you have a few Korean romcoms that you've seen I don't really think this will be entertaining for you since there's nothing new to keep it suspenseful.

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Completed
Birth of a Beauty
1 people found this review helpful
May 3, 2015
21 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 3.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
It's obvious that they tried to make many parts comedic, but those seemed flat and the silence from within me left me with a feeling of awkwardness trying to find the right moments to laugh but never finding a reason to do so. The romantic moments were cliche once again with long periods of staring; I have to admit that the back hug was kind of cute in this one though. The most romantic parts seemed to be between Min Hyuk and Sara, which sort of gave a Richard Gere/ Pretty Woman feel. Judging by the poster where he's not even included, I don't think that this was what was intended. I continued to watch the show, however, because of the popularity of this show until episode 6 where I found a new reason to watch. This show may not have comedy or romance despite being a romantic comedy, but it has the best grudges, characters full of hatred, and a strong sense of revenge; many times I thought this could fit into the thriller genre. The power struggle is entertaining to watch and leaves you wondering who will come out on top, hoping it's not Tae Hee's judgmental and unapologetic grandmother.

As a side note, and I usually don't mention this because I'm not a very fashion-conscious person, but I thought the clothing looked outdated and they have a good looking cast but the hair stylist put too much product in Wang Ji Hye's hair to the point that it looked oily and they could've done more to Han Ye Seul's hair to make it shine or look glamorous since she's the birth of a beauty (Pinocchio had a good hairstylist).

I don't even know where to start with the acting. Joo Sang Wook seemed like a good actor and sometimes his actions reminded me of So Ji Sub in Master's Sun. I think he would've acted better though if he played this role alongside a different actress such as Gong Hyo Jin because while Han Ye Seul is beautiful, her acting skills weren't too believable to me many times, especially when she tried to act cute, innocent, or does what I consider a fake laugh. To her defense, it's hard to be cute and pretty. When she tried to act innocent though, she seemed to just open her eyes wide and stare blankly, and instead of the simple-minded cute that I think she was trying to go for, it came off as a little dim-witted. A weird thing is that unlike many actors who can play cute but not serious parts, her crying was actually okay; if they added fake tears and an eye irritant to make her eyes a little pink then her crying facial expressions would seem realistic I think. Because of her narrow range of emotions, I'm a little hesitant to watch Couple or Trouble now which was supposed to show that her acting skills improved, but seems iffy to me since she should be more experienced in this drama that's filmed eight years after the praise she got for that one. Wang Ji Hye and Jung Gyu Woon's jealousy and apparent desire for revenge are a major part of what made this so interesting to watch, but while I was a big fan of Wang Ji Hye from Protect the Boss, I noticed that she has a weird look that she overuses sometimes - I still think her hissy fits were entertaining though. Jung Gyu Woon played crazy quite awesomely and reminded me a lot of Light Yagami from the anime, Death Note. Lastly, I'd like to mention Han Sang Jin. Even though Joo Sang Wook is handsome and a good actor, he had the same problem that Ji Sung had in Kill Me Heal Me- despite cute or romantic lines he's fed and facial expressions to match, he didn't have that quality about him that makes you hug your pillow really tight and hold your breath while your heart is beating in suspense for the next moment on screen. Surprisingly I did feel a little bit of this when Han Sang Jin was on screen, and maybe if he was younger or didn't look his age I would be squealing over him right now. He played both the few romantic parts he had and a villain quite well; I think his innocent-looking face made him that much scarier.

As for the music, I'm pretty sure I've heard Lee Hyori sing the "I'm a Beautiful Girl" song on Family Outing before even though it didn't come out yet; it sounds just like it though. Other than that, the music didn't seem memorable and I don't really rewatch shows.

I'd recommend this show if you like dramas, because there's a lot of entertaining scheming and plotting with alliances formed almost every which way, but don't mind the female lead's acting and that it's not really romantic or comedic despite being a romcom.

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Completed
My Love from the Star
3 people found this review helpful
Apr 25, 2015
21 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 2.5
Usually my reviews start with the plot, but I feel like I definitely have to mention the characters more this time. You Who Came from the Stars has some of the most well developed and memorable characters I've seen so far, three of which are some of my favorites - Jae Kyung, Song Yi, and Hee Kyung (four if you include Han Yoo Ra who played a smaller role but very well I may say). Many romcoms have typical characters like a male lead who's mean but turns soft and then the ditsy candy girl who "is unlike any other girl" (except for every other candy girl out there), so it's rare for a character from this genre to stand out, and evenmoreso for three of them to stand out.

Before even watching the show you've probably already seen or heard of Shin Sung Rok for his outstanding portrayal of the evil Jae Kyung in this show so it's not surprising that I'd mention him. Usually I'm the most skeptical about characters everyone loves because I don't want to be like the crowd but without him, this show would not be the same. He plays a villain that you love to hate comparable to Loki from the Avengers. Stories don't seem complete without a good villain, and Shin Sung Rok definitely proved to fit the role. Not only does he have a debonair exterior (he pulls off a suit very well I may add) but is smart and capable as well. As you wait on the edge of your seat to see what he does next, you secretly want to root for him not because has a good motive in this case (strangely) but just because he makes things exciting. The rivalry between him and the main character has a certain tension that keeps it suspenseful.

Many people have also probably heard of Jeon Ji Hyeon before watching the show; heck, even the lipstick she wore got famous from this show and was sold out selling at $95 per tube after it aired. She's not only one of the most beautiful lead actresses I've seen (she looks like a model and can wear anything I swear), but she also demonstrates a strong character with admirable confidence and a very cool, for lack of a better word, persona.

Hee Kyung is the last of these three characters. I have to say that his character is not as original because it's is the second male lead personality. The reason I say he stands out is because I think the writers and actors created a character that is one of the best second male leads I've seen and he really is the definition of this role. This is gonna sound really shallow to people who don't like remarks about actors' appearances, but I have eyes and it does play a part in how I judge characters. At first I thought he looked a little odd and really hoped that he wasn't the second lead, but his acting and the writing for his character made me change my mind because of how dedicated he appeared to be. He never gives up on her, and while heartbreaking, it's also very nice to see and hope that someone like that really exists. (As a side note, I watched him on family outing later and he has a cute personality irl too).

Yes, I know I didn't mention Kim Soo Hyun or Yoo In Na, but they didn't stand out as much in this drama for me, even though Soo Hyun plays an alien, The only cool scenes from him were the car and elevator ones but his character seemed emotionless (which might be how he wanted to portray the alien, but seems not too different from many male leads I've seen that aren't aliens- I hope it will be different in Producer which I'm waiting for). When he cried it was the exact opposite and the amount of emotion he had did not seem to match the reason for crying and made me feel out of place because of the lack of emotion throughout the show. Yoo In Na was one of my favorite characters in Secret Garden; she was forgettable in this one.

Now for the plot. I wasn't really fond of the flashbacks, and the little girl relationship was not only weird in itself since it was pedophilic but made the main relationship awkward to say the least. The climax and ending I thought would be better too; I think because I watched the Running Man version first and their ending, I was expecting something similar or related to that. It left me satisfied, but a little disappointed in Jae Kyung. I think they could have used the super powers for more entertainment purposes as well (like in the car and elevator scenes) and carried the rivalries out more because they were entertaining and some of the other parts seemed a little boring.

I don't really rewatch shows and the music was okay. "You Are My Destiny" is memorable but not my favorite; I liked the song from Younha and the scene with Hee Kyung that came with it more.

I'd recommend this show if you want to watch a show with a villain that you love-to-hate-but-really-love, a strong female lead that looks cool no matter what she does, and one of the most loyal second leads out there but don't mind some flashbacks in the beginning of every episode and a few boring parts here and there. It wasn't as funny as other romcoms, but more on the suspenseful side with a superman/ Lois Lane feel.

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Completed
Kill Me, Heal Me
4 people found this review helpful
Apr 22, 2015
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
I thought the plot seemed interesting at first because of DID, but after watching (and dropping) Hyde, Jekyll, and I, I wasn't sure if I had the strength to endure another show about multiple personalities. Therefore, I decided to watch Kill Me, Heal Me after waiting a little to let its rating on here level out and make sure that the high score was not just due to a fad like Hyde, Jekyll, and I which turned out to be one of the most emotionless dramas I've seen despite the Hallyu cast (I hope Hyun Bin will come out with something better next time : ( ).
Kill Me, Heal Me is almost the opposite. The actors aren't ones that many people watch because of their fame or overly-good looks but are quite talented if you give them a chance. I realized that Ji Sung is like a hidden gem after watching Protect the Boss. Although I don't see many people "fangirling" over any of these leads because they don't seem to seem to have that type of attractiveness about them (not their age or the looks I mentioned earlier because while they're not stunningly blinding, they're obviously not ugly either and people like So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin are older but seem to possess this quality that I can't quite define-- perhaps "appeal" is the right word?), they have charisma. Their facial emotions and gestures are far from the emotionless ones found in Hyde, Jekyll and I. In fact, many times, I truly believed that the personalities were distinct characters, and I do have my favorite (Nana, of course). They were not only a comedic team comparable to Infinite Challenge and Running Man at times, but played more serious parts believably as well. In addition to the acting, the music was one of the better soundtracks I've heard so far. The only downfall, I'd say was in the writing. The plot was interesting and suspenseful at first, but got dragged out far too long. They abused flashbacks, and replayed them like the viewers had short term memory problems of some sort (the same clip three times in one episode is two times too many). Instead, I would have loved if they filled that time with more moments with the personalities. Thankfully the last episode was a pretty good one, though I'm not sure if the way that they handled the issue is one that I'd agree with for moral reasons. I'd recommend this drama if you like romantic comedies mixed with drama and don't mind stories that get dragged out because the acting is worthwhile.

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Completed
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 7, 2015
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 2.5
Despite not liking historical shows, I decided to give Sungkyunkwan Scandal a try since I've seen many people add this show to their favorites list, I was curious about Micky Yoo Chun's acting and I didn't want to be biased like I was with Master's Sun (which turned out to be a great kdrama btw). Like many shows, the story was not original nor profound. What made this entertaining was the character interactions. I especially found the Sun Joon-Jae Shin, Yoon Shik-Cho Sun and Yoon Shik- Jae Shin interactions worth while to see. Misunderstandings which can often be annoying in other dramas were well used for comedic and other purposes in this story. The ninja fighting wasn't extreme but some moves (like sideways mid-air spin) were cool even if they were unnecessary.

For all the characters, the actors were pretty well suited for their roles. I must say, however, Yoo Ah In stole the show. I don't think you'll find one review that doesn't mention him. I see now why this is his breakthrough performance. I've never seen someone play the carefree, bad boy (I can't think of another term for it, but it's not in the perverted sense) type of role so well. His hiccups were so cute and he just had a huggability factor throughout the whole show. I want to see him in a romcom. In addition, I liked how the president acted like a jealous spoiled child who was deprived of something he wanted and used petty but thought out means to get it. It made me want to root for him at times. The professor and Sun Joon's father seemed respectable. Yoo chun and Min Young weren't bad but unfortunately weren't memorable either. Joong Ki's winks were memorable but kind of weird. He did have the best crying skills of the bunch however, which is good for him but at the same time indicates where others fall short. Although the actors fit their roles well and were believable for the most part they seemed to lack the ability to create a moving performance during the more climactic scenes so the intensity didn't seem to escalate during the times they should have. Though I didn't expect much from the rest towards the end, I was somewhat sad to see Yoo Ah In's performance during the climax since the rest of his performance was so outstanding.

The music was well chosen. The ending song stood out the most to me.

I don't typically rewatch shows and this is no exception. As for recommending this show, I would recommend it if you want something entertaining and comedic at times. I wouldn't expect something too moving or very romantic though.

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The Master's Sun
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 19, 2015
17 of 17 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
***This is my favorite Kdrama***

I can't believe I put this drama on hold for so long. To be honest, I had a few biases that made me not want to watch this magnificent drama despite all of the great reviews it had. One of them is because I saw So Ji Sub on an episode of Infinite Challenge where he wanted to get slapped by Yoo Jae Suk. I didn't know if I could see him as a leading man after that. Another reason that more people can probably relate to is the horror genre. Kdramas are usually cutesy and romantic. I thought that half of the drama would be wasted on the horror and ghost hunting aspect. While it does have that aspect, it's not what I expected and the time is definitely not wasted (you'll probably agree that the drama is way too short later on). The side stories are an integral part to move the main story along along rather than being unessential stories that don't relate to the main characters at all. I don't want to offend anyone who's into the whole vampire and witchcraft genres, but I myself was not interested in that and thought that it was those fans who were posting all over the internet how great this drama was and that this drama was definitely not for me. Part of the reason is because of the deceptive cover photo. It has a very serious and eerie feel to it that makes it seem as if they'd spend a lot of time in a cathedral hiding from vampires (So Ji Sub looks like a vampire who's ready to bite Gong Hyo Jin in the picture). I thought that the whole plot would be like vampire stories I've heard about where the main conflict is the girl sacrificing her body to the vampire.

Unlike the the outdated, unappealing photo and any other biases I might have had, this drama really made me put my guard down. It takes a very comedic stance on how people view Gong Shil's ability to see spirits and was surprisingly thrilling at times while still portraying a sentimental approach to the connection between the living and the deceased. I have seen many Kdramas that I've enjoyed where I've seen couples that have shared cute and funny moments, but never have I seen a couple that I thought really belonged together or actually NEEDED to be together and that I rooted so much for until I saw this show. They are the cutest pair I've ever seen and I don't think I'd even care if the world just disappeared while I watched those two together on screen. I really wanted what they had together. Even from the beginning, where their relationship was a little weird, their chemistry made the weirdness (which I probably would've dropped a show for) work. The show has the cutest confession and cutest kiss. I appreciate how the side romances did not take over the story like they do in many dramas and thought that they had a bit of charm to them as well- of course not as much as the main couple, but that how I think Kdramas should be. I'll admit there were some things that I did not enjoy but they were very minor flaws like a little bit of being wishy-washy to the point that I was even unaware of what the character wanted at one point, and a few predictable things. However, I watched the entire drama in two days because I never felt that they were bad enough to make the show lose its appeal unlike other shows that have these problems which cause them to have a two or more episode slump that you usually find near episode 7-10 in a Kdrama. Some dramas never recover from that slump and turn your favorite drama into a typical or even unbearable one, which brings me to my next point. Not only did this drama have few things I disliked (which is the reason I did not give it a perfect ten), but it had the best ending (specifically the last episode which had so many hug-your-pillow-really-tight rewind moments) I've seen in Kdrama. Usually the ending is what loses me in many Kdramas, but this drama makes you love the main couple even more so at the end.
As for the acting, it's a given that Gong Hyo Jin is one of the best Kdrama actresses (and one of my favorites). Many shows that I watch are for her because I know she can act well and pick good roles unlike my favorite actress, Eun Yoon Hye, who is a good actress but can't seem to find good roles. So Ji Sub- is a name I will never forget now. Boy was I wrong about him. Never judge someone by your first impressions. He can ask Yoo Jae Suk to slap him all he wants and he will still be one of the best leading men. At first, maybe because of my bias, I was very skeptical of him and his ability to woo someone. How could he be cuter than someone like Seo In Guk who had me in tears in the first episode of Reply 1997? By the end of the drama I just wanted to hug So Ji Sub with the cute little caterpillars above his eyes. He can display so many emotions with them and his happy eye smile when he hears about money is to die for. It's not like Gong Yoo where you think he's very handsome, but So Ji Sub pulls at your heartstrings with how cute he can be. He doesn't even have to shed tears. He's good, okay? That's all I can say. MY GOSH I WISH HE'D DO ANOTHER ROMANTIC COMEDY! *Sigh* Okay, moving on. Seo In Guk is one of the few actors like Yong Hwa who can be cool on and off stage. He didn't woo me as much in this show but his kung fu moves really made me laugh, probably not for the right reasons though. On a side note, I did find the vice president likeable towards the end. The rest of the characters didn't seem to stand out too much to me since they were typical but they were likeable.
Although the music did not have a specific memorable-sing-along-add-to-your-playlist-and-repeat OST like That Man from Secret Garden, the music was pleasing and the placement really helped to set the different moods. I liked the song from Seo In Guk as well. Oh, and I was very surprised that this one song that I thought was Kim Jong Kook when I heard it was actually Gummy.
Overally I'd give this drama a rewatch value of ten which is very high since I don't rewatch shows since they take a lot of time and usually give a rewatch value of 3 or less. I really want to rewatch this with other people so I can show them how great it is and make them watch Korean dramas with me. I'm positive they'll start watching after they see this with me. ^____________^
This is definitely the best drama I've seen. It has all the things I look for in a drama: laugh-out-loud-and-not-just-smile-because-it's-cute comedy, good acting (even though they never had the Gong Yoo crying in Coffee Prince, I felt just as sad looking at little So Ji Sub's little sad eyebrows), no long slump near episode 7-10 that makes the drama lose its appeal, a plot twist, and a really cute ending that's not just a bunch of mush. This is definitely my favorite drama by far. It sucks now though that I will probably have a hard time finding a good one after this.

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Completed
The Greatest Love
4 people found this review helpful
Jan 16, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
The greatest love had some of the most romantic, heart-fluttering, hug-your-pillow-really-tight-and-hold-your-breath moments I’ve seen in Kdramas (although they do get cheesier later on, by the time they do you’ve already grown attached to the characters). At first when I saw Cha Seung Won’s character, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the show. This is first time I’ve seen him so I don’t know if that’s how he portrayed the character or how he actually is in real life but it reminded me of Johnny Depp in that he was pretty but I wasn’t sure if he was drunk because of the way he moved or spoke. I found it somewhat refreshing later on since it’s not typical of a pretty boy and it seems to fit well with his character, Dok Ko Jin. I continued to watch out of curiosity and for Gong Hyo Jin. I've always seen her name in the list of top Korean romantic comedy actresses and thought that I should give one of her dramas a try since she seems to have so many highly rated ones (Pasta, The Master's Sun, It's Okay That's Love, and of course this one, The Greatest Love). I don't know why anymore, but I was initially hesitant to watch her since I thought she looked too old and it would be weird to watch a romcom with her. BOY WAS I WRONG. Her acting is one of the most genuine ones I've seen. It’s not cheesy or overly dramatic and she can be cute without using some of the annoying aegyo expressions I've seen other actresses do. She's definitely made it on my list of favorite actresses. Although the plot wasn’t original, those hug-your-pillow-really-tight-and-hold-your-breath moments I mentioned earlier along with some funny (not really laugh-out-loud funny like in My Princess, but cute funny) moments seemed to come one after another like a bombardment of entertainment for around the first 9 episodes. Every time I clicked a new episode I would feel sad knowing that there would be that many less to watch. Unfortunately, scenes began to become unoriginal and predictable, there were no twists, and there wasn’t much of a climax. The other love interest, who I thought had great potential, seemed to give up early on and appeared weak (I was excited in the beginning since I thought he was going to have a transformation). The last few episodes seemed to be mushed potatoes. (See what I did there? :D Maybe after you watch the show then you’ll like my comment more. ^______^)
Anyways, the show wasn’t bad. In fact, the first 9 episodes I’d rate as a 10 and would rewatch. They were exactly how I’d want my ideal kdrama to be- funny, romantic, cute, and suspenseful, with good acting and a great cast (even Lee Seung Gi made an appearance). The downfall, I think, is that even though these was able to make up for the lack of a good plot in the beginning, the ending showed that the lack of one or any plot twists could not be overcome leading to the disappointment of what could’ve been indeed the greatest love. Since the majority of the show was immensely entertaining I don't think that it would be fair to lower the rating beyond what I have.
**Side notes: Yoo In Na is way too cute for an antagonist. Choi Hwa Jung reminded me of Bree Van de Kamp from desperate Housewives and was a cool character who seemed practical and instead of many powerful characters in Korean dramas who simply oppose things for no reason. Jung Joon Ha’s acting was really good and serious at times which made me somewhat sad since he might not really be the clumsy dumbdumb that I like watching on variety shows. : (

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Completed
My Princess
3 people found this review helpful
Jan 13, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
My thoughts for this drama are scattered all over the place. There were things about it that I really liked and much that I did not. I knew this drama wouldn't be ground breaking plot-wise from the summary, but I just wanted to watch something safe where I would get closure at least since the last two dramas I watched (Marry Him If You Dare and Skip Beat) did not have that. The story indeed was typical for a Korean drama (a rags to riches girl who falls in love and a hidden secret from the past may ruin things for her). Even though the comedic parts were laugh-out-loud/rewind funny, they were far and few in what seemed to be a long and never-ending drama despite only having 16 episodes. The good-looking actors definitely helped lessen the pain of watching some of the dragged out, or even unnecessary scenes that I had to sit through since I don't like having unfinished dramas. Indeed they were eye-pleasing. Song Seung Hun has many good angles to his face while having a nice build and deep voice to match. I'll be honest, when I started this drama I had to rewind some parts that I missed the subtitles to due to his mesmerizing looks. He was especially handsome when he got angry and shouted (but I soon got over this since he kept using this technique in his acting and it lost its effect). Also, he started to look like Felix the Cat to me; don't get me wrong, he's still beautiful. Kim Tae Hee, Rain's girlfriend (one of the reasons I wanted to watch this drama), is one of the prettier (not cute) leading ladies I've seen and could very well play the part of the other woman that often has a more cookie-cutter type of beauty. Ryu Soo Young, if you cover up his sunken cheeks, is actually one of these good-looking characters along with little Gi Kwang. It's no surprise that these characters then (with the excepting of Gi Kwang) could play what I perceived to be scheming, self-interested characters who were not really searching for love or a means to protect their families despite what they state in the drama. It reminded me of My Name Is Kim Sam Soon without the script and what I believe the Heirs will be like (beautiful, selfish people fighting over love and money) since I haven't seen it yet. After the drama got boring (by episode 2 to my surprise), it was this perception that helped to make the drama entertaining for me in parts that I found to have unintended cruel humor apart from the far and few intended jokes. The first episode actually had a good ending and made me believe that the main character really did care for her father to the point that I was almost in tears, Afterwards, however, she became the most selfish, whiny and spoiled character I've ever seen on a Kdrama (including side characters meant to play this part for a comedic effect). Her unintended apathy towards people in her desire to get revenge along with the random moments of pretend sympathy were more bone-chilling than even Yejin's A-list acting for a villain. Despite not being a fan of Yejin prior to watching her on this, I became a fan of hers and not only sympathized, but rooted for her little character living in an unjust society. (This is weird since I never saw her as cute even with her aegyo in Family Outing until I saw her character here which is supposed to be a villain but seems to be the most logical and caring person of the bunch even when others don't care for her). The selfishness of all four main characters was part of the reason I was unable to see the romance at all despite their cute individual expressions. This left me very confused at some parts as to what was happening in the relationships since many parts seemed to be random. The story got very entertaining again (actual and not in-my-head entertaining) around maybe episode 9-11ish then quickly died down again. Surprisingly the last episode, though not great, made me happy (this could also be due to how excited I was to finish this drama). I would not recommend this drama unless you are very creative and have a sarcastic/ cruel sense of humor. It might just be my taste but it was excruciating to the point that it was hard to even sit down long enough to finish this. The actors were in no way the problem and I would watch other dramas with them, especially Yejin, Seung Hun, Lee Seol's mother (who by the way was very cute in this drama and reminded me of my own mother), and of course, little Gi Kwang. I might watch Tae Hee's IRIS too since I like Baek Ji Young's OST to it.

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Completed
Skip Beat!
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 7, 2015
15 of 15 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
I'm a little old to be watching this to be honest (mid 20's), but I'm a fan of Super Junior and like manga so it was still fun. I really liked the story (not many start out with the whole revenge thing) but I should've known that since this was made in 2011 and the manga is still not done 4 years later, that the show would not have an ending. This was a big disappointment to me since I just watched Marry Him If You Dare which also had the same problem! That's why I dropped the story score to a 9.
The cast was great because there were two members of SuJu in it and I enjoyed the other characters as well. I gave them a 7.5 because although I don't think their acting was award- worthy, it wasn't dull and kept you entertained (I might be biased since I like SuJu though). I definitely am more of a Donghae fan, so naturally instead of finding things like Donghae's little victory pose and strawberry pudding odd or annoying, I thought it was cute/funny seeing him and not his character doing these actions. The long leg thing was cute too (we all know you use insoles because of SM Entertainment, little Donghae <3). I was not as big of fan of Siwon before this show because I found him to be a little fake on variety shows, but he isn't ugly for a main role, and his acting's not too poor either. SuJu's acting must've been at least good though because I didn't even notice that they were being dubbed and that Donghae's voice was much higher than usually and that Siwon's sounded like his impression of that famous designer he always does impressions of. I just thought that that was how all Taiwanese drama's were where the voices didn't match the lip movements. Gong Xi was easy to like in the beginning because of her strong sense of purpose and since she seemed more lively than other main leads tend to be. She was cute but it was a little weird that she looked like YoSeob from Beast to me mixed with Gollum from Lord of the Rings (even more so when she held that stone). Unfortunately she seemed to get annoying and whiny towards the end (especially the baby voice and weird dancing fit?). I liked the actress who played Qin a lot. She was very beautiful and her confidence was admirable. Du Xian seemed like a very credible actor to me especially how believable his smiles were compared to Siwon's (for a while, I thought that he had something going on with Gong Xi and that they would end up together), but his expressions began to become repetitive and was a little creepy sometimes when he kept smiling to himself. His yellow phone was cool though. Mary did not seem cute at first because I thought she looked old, but later her little round face reminded me of the adorable kid from Modern Family. I'm usually not a fan of odd humor, but I thought that the CEO was interesting. I did like some of the manga effects they used in this show and the little treats that made them happy.
I gave the music a 7.5 just because I like SuJu. The beginning song was nice but I didn't really get addicted to the music.
I don't rewatch shows so I'd give this a rewatch value of 1.
Overall it was fun to watch and didn't really have many hard to get through scenes, but no wow breathtaking, heart-wrenching moments either so I gave it a 7. To be fair, I don't think that they could really have the actors get too close since it would upset their fans, and it's very rare for people who are trained to be singers to have outstanding acting like Gong Yoo's performance in Coffee Prince as well (I did enjoy Rain's acting in Full House though). If you're a fan of Donghae or Siwon and aren't overly obsessed to the point that you can't see them with another girl (which you might want to get checked if you are), then I would recommend this show. It's cute, funny, and keeps you entertained.

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Completed
Marry Him If You Dare
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 5, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
Originally I was hesitant to watch Marry Him If You Dare because the summary says that Na Mi-rae travels back in time. I misinterpreted this to mean that there would be many long flashbacks or flash forwards like in Reply 1997 (though it was a heart-warming show, I was not fond of the way Reply 1997 was formatted since the end was already known, making it less suspenseful). Since I’m a big fan of Eun Yoon Hye and Yong Hwa, I decided to give it a try anyways. Fortunately, the future is kept hidden and revealed little by little instead of in laid out plain sight from the get-go. I actually thought that this added suspense since it was kept super-secret and was one of the driving forces that made me stay up and watch this drama in less than 2 days. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed in what it actually was, even when they changed it and added to it later on (I guess they couldn’t decide), but it kept me watching nonetheless. The way they incorporated her future self into the story really made this show stand out from the rest. Not only is the character entertaining with the different antics she uses and when she meets her younger husband (their interactions were some of my favorite moments) but the character also added a deeper meaning to the story because in some ways, she seemed more like an enemy to herself than anyone else. I liked how she was not powerless and reliant on others. The characters seemed more three dimensional than in other rom-coms and there weren’t really any overly annoying ones with side stories that I didn’t care for like in many k-dramas. They were not as generalized as in other shows into the typical black and white or set roles that characters fall into. Even Seo Yoo-Kyung seemed pitifully funny and relatable at times; she did not seem like “the other woman” at all. In fact, her character could be the lead of her own drama. The show as a whole seemed to flow very well, started off pretty quickly and did not have the huge slump that many shows seem to have around episode 9-10, although it does get somewhat repetitive. Since I finished the show so quickly, you can bet that it was entertaining. I’m not quite sure what happened towards the last couple of episodes though. I would have given the show an 8 or 9, but one of the biggest downfalls for me was the last couple episodes. It seemed like the writers were indecisive and although I see where they were going by trying to leave the future open to possibilities, I felt incomplete. I feel like I was carried along a long (though enjoyable) ride just to find out that it was for nothing. I mean I typically watch shows because I want to know what will happen. I wanted a clear ending for closure, but I had more questions in the end than in the beginning about a lot of things that didn’t make sense or contradicted what was said earlier. It was unclear when characters were “together” or not. In addition, even though I’m a big fan of Eun Yoon Hye’s, the characters I’ve seen her play seem to turn selfish towards the end even though they’re supposed to be “pure”, which is the opposite of the character change that I think a main character should have. In this show, she does have the same problem, but she seemed to start off that way in this series anyways, so it wasn’t as big of a change as some of the other characters she’s played in the past. I gave the story a 7 because I thought the secrets of the future could be better and I was not a fan of the ending or contradictions. The show wasn’t bad, it was indeed very entertaining and had no annoying or hard to get though parts in my opinion. I just wanted it to have an ending that matched.
I was very pleased with the cast and acting. Indeed it was a 10. You can tell that Eun Yoon Hye is a seasoned actress by how believable her character’s expressions are. She is one of my favorite actresses because of this, the fact that she doesn’t annoy me like some other actresses do, and because her aegyo is actually cute so I can understand why guys like her. Although her character seemed a bit selfish to me, I think that’s part of the story and what they’re trying to portray. Yong Hwa is the second reason I watched this show. I thought he was cute at first since he looked like Hyun Joong Kim from some angles when I watched him on Running Man (a great show by the way) and he had a charmingly laid back personality. A lot of people comment on his teeth, but I think that makes him more human and not a cookie cutter. I have not watched all of You’re Beautiful yet but I remembered that his acting did not seem cheesy like some of the characters did (even though I liked the actors themselves) which is good for a lead role. He seems like the epitome of cool on variety shows (easy going, not conceited, leader-like). It was nice to see how serious Lee Dong Gun was. It was attractive and made some parts like the ones with future Mi Rae more comedic. Though he’s not ugly, it weirded me out that he resembles the girl from How I Met Your Mother. As a side note, the winks in the fire were a bit weird as well (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you get to it). Future Mi Rae had a very strong presence and the actress really showed skill in providing not only comedic relief, but believability in how much she cared for others (usually characters say they care about others like their family but you don’t get that vibe). Her tears are what made me believe that the future really had something intense that was going to happen. This was a really strong cast but she stood out just a little more than the rest. A few honorable mentions include: how Seo Yoo-Kyung began to have respect for herself. The brother’s acting, and the young announcer with a lisp. I really loved this cast wish for many more like it. Their reactions to the story indeed made a difference to how entertaining the drama was.
The music wasn’t catchy right away, neither was it bland. Of the OSTs I’ve heard, It’s pretty nice, but not memorable like the OSTs sung by Baek Ji Young so I gave it a 7. Perhaps that’s also because they didn’t use the same song every time a certain type of emotion or scene occurred. I thought that “My Lady” was sung by Yong Hwa for a while; it sounded like the song Jang Geun Seuk sang in Mary Stayed Out All Night. I’m OK by Yuna sounded like an ost from one of Eun Yoon Hye’s previous dramas, Lie To Me (Shameless Lie by Heo Ga Yoon). I’ve found myself excited to hear some of the songs during the series but never added them to a playlist.
I gave the rewatch value a 3 since it takes a while to rewatch a show and there were really no confusing parts that I needed to rewatch. I’d sit to see some of my favorite parts but not take the time to watch it from start to finish again.
Overall I’d recommend this show if you’re looking for something entertaining, cute and funny, with good actors (I didn’t think they were bad looking either), and no overly annoying characters with long side stories. It was not a typical drama and the twist was refreshing. Just don’t expect a nice ending (that’s why my overall score for this drama is a 7.5 instead of a 9-10. I would have gone down to 7, but I didn’t think it was fair since the rest of the drama was so entertaining.

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Completed
My Lovely Sam Soon
6 people found this review helpful
Apr 19, 2014
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
I watched this show for Hyun Bin after watching Secret Garden. I'm glad I watched it after watching Secret Garden because I don't think I would've watched that show the same way after seeing My Name is Kim Sam Soon. It's not that he's a bad actor (in fact, he's a very good one), but the character he plays I found to be really mean. Despite that, I found this drama to be very entertaining. I'm not sure if the writers meant for it to have cruel humor or if it's just me. *Side note, if you want a charming romance, don't watch this; it's exactly the opposite, which is what I think makes it so great. The enemy itself seems to be the men around her. You learn to love the main character and cheer her on hoping that she'll find the strength to stand up for herself. You pity her, but at the same time keep wondering why she allows herself to be taken for granted. Her options seem so limited and the story keeps getting more and more twisted. Things you sarcastically think to yourself become the reality of the situation. I guess from watching all those K dramas where things are supposed to go right, it's refreshing to have a show where things don't but life goes on.

Hyun Bin being a good actor is a given. This was my first time seeing Kim Sun Ah though and she's an amazing actress. Although she seemed to remind me of the Choi Kwang Hee in Protect the Boss at times, I liked how she played her character more. I found her more relateable and her acting more convincing from the fact that she actually showed tears to how she acted with her family. She was actually cute at times which made me forget about the large age difference between the actors, that and because Hyun Bin looks mature for his age. I thought that she and Henney were very cute together and wanted to see more of them as well. Henney's not ugly but he wasn't entertaining when he was with Hee Jin; neither was Hyun Bin for that matter. It's not because she's the other woman, because I've seen many shows where there's cute other woman, but she reminded me of Yoo Joo from Coffee Prince (who in my opinion made the most annoying, overly mushy couple with Han Seong in all the Kdramas I've seen so far). I pitied her, but her character really annoyed me. There are pitiful characters who can be mean too, but I didn't think that she could pull it off. Moving on, I've seen Lee Ah Hyun from Mary Stayed Out All Night and thought that she fit the role of the sister in this much better; I liked her more maybe because she wasn't freeloading like in her other role. After watching who they paired her up with in this show, I had to look up her age because it seemed weird to me. She definitely doesn't look her age. I need her beauty secret! Lee Kyu Han was one of my favorite characters in this drama. That guy never gives up, and his facial expressions and reactions are so comedic. I'd give the acting/cast a 10 if it wasn't for the Yoo Joo character. Some people may like mushy, but I can't stand it so I gave the cast an 8.

I don't really remember the music being good or bad so I gave it a 5 and I would stop and watch if I saw this playing somewhere, but I don't think I'd rewatch the whole series so I gave it a rewatch value of 5 as well.

Overall I really enjoyed this drama and would give it an 8 because while I did find it funny and entertaining, I tend to have a mean sense of humor according to people around me, so I'm not sure if it was really meant to be interpreted the way I saw it or if I'm somewhat delusional (which you probably didn't want to hear after reading this whole thing). Basically if you want something that's charming and romantic, this isn't really the drama for you. However, if you're up for something that's not quite typical, and can laugh at pitiful things (that sounds mean but I'm not sure how else to put it), then I recommend this drama. Also, watch Sercret Garden first or you might not be able to watch it later and because I'm not sure if you can stand Hyun Bin in this without believing he really is that mean and disliking him.

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